Supplemental fuel feed device



J-une 1953 D: E. ANDERSON ETAL SUPPLEMENTAL FUEL FEED DEVICE Filed May 27 1949 In en I 5P5 David EMzzdensozz [Kama-i Zdjq'ZaraZ Eaypwr H mwf M Patented June 16, 1953 2,642,082 I I SUPPLEMENTAL FUEL FEED DEVICE David E. Anderson,

Willard Raymor, Cleveland,

Thompson Products, ind, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Richard A. Kolonick, and

Ohio, assignors to Application May 27, 1949, Serial No. 95,828

This invention relates to devices for feeding controlled amounts of coolant or antidetonant fluid to the fuel intake of an internal combustion engine. Specifically, this invention has to do with a fuel feeding device featuring a metering valve of novel, more efficient construction anda spring assembly, for resisting the movement of the valve, which has variable load characteristics. It is known in the art that engine detonation varies with compression ratio, the-quality and type of fuel being burned, and the load on the engine. Likewise, thefeeding of supplementary fuels, such as water, alcohol and the like to irrternal combustion engines for suppressing such detonation and increasing the power output of the engine is known.

Various types of supplementary fuel feeding devices forinjecting metered amounts of supplementary fuel into the main fuel air stream entering the engine and for controlling the flow of fluid in accordance with varying engine conditions have been, proposed. Since the manifold vacuum of an internal'combustion engine decreases during those periods of heavy engine load, high speed or rapid acceleration, it has proved feasible to control the amount of supplementary fuel by the use of feeding devices responsive to the manifoldvacuum and featuring a diaphragm controlled metering valve.

To obtain desirable operating conditions, this vacuum control has been supplemented by the use of spring pressure resisting the movement of the metering valve. Since the operating characteristics of an engine; for any given speed, require a maximum amount of anti-detonant at wide open throttle (low manifold vacuum.)

and a decreasing amount as the throttle is being closed (increasing manifold vacuum) it would appear that a spring having a constant rate, as

featured in heretofore furnished fuel feed devices, would be satisfactory. 1 However, it has been found that the most advantageous supplementary fuel feed rateis not obtained with a flow directly proportional to intake manifold vacuum, such as provided by a single rate spring, but on one which gives a rapid decrease in flow rate as the intake manifold vacuum increases initially, followed by a less rapid decrease in flow rate as the intake manifold vacuum further increases. These relative rates of supplementary fuel feed correspond with the engine requirement for this fuel.

To provide the-abovementioned optimum conditions, the supplementary fuel feed'device of this invention is provided with a pair'of springs which 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-480) 2 resist the action of the vacuum in the manifold tending to move the metering valve toward closed position. The springs are arranged so that only one of the springs resists the initial movement of the diaphragm controlled metering valve. After a'predetermined movement of the valve, the second spring augments the resistance of the flrst spring to provide a composite spring of increased spring rate, thereby decreasing the final flow at the desired rate.

Supplementary fuel feeding devices hereto fore furnished have also been defective in that fuel has been drawn into the vacuum chamber of the device by the vacuum therein when the normally close-fitting'parts of the device become worn. Since the vacuum chamber is connected directly to the fuel intake of the engine, there is a danger under these conditions that raw fuel in undetermined, excessive amounts will be drawninto the'engine.

According to. the teachings of this invention, a passage is formed between the vacuum chamber and the supplementary fuel feed conduit. This passage is vented to atmosphere and thus the pull of the vacuum is broken at this point and the possibility that supplementary fuel will be drawn into the vacuum chamber and thence into the engine is eliminated.

The devices of this invention are equipped with a multipart casing including a main casing body having an integral flange on one side thereof that is arranged to be bolted to a flange and inserted between the carburetor and the intake manifold of an engine. This mounting flange of the main casing and last mentioned flange contain passageways for feeding the antidetonant spray or jets to theintake manifold. A tubular member connects the vacuum chamber to the intake manifold immediately in front of the throttle valve. The main casing carries an inlet port receiving antidetonant from a suitable sup- An inexpensive stampe'd cup is seflnes a float chamber receiving antidetonant from the inlet port. A float valve pivotally mounted 'in the float chamber controls the level of fluid in that chamber. A depending boss extends downwardly from the main easing into the float chamber and has a central passage which receives a hollow tube which is vented to atmosphere and has a restricted portend member. Themeterin'g valve, which has a novel shaped valve end, is slidably mounted in the main body of the casing and controls the discharge out of the air vent tube into the passageway through the mounting flange. A cover or lid is secured on top of the main casing and the metering valve diaphragm is clamped between this cover and the main casing.

It is then an important object of this invention to provide a device for supplying antidetonant material in proper metered quantities and at proper times to the fuel intake of an internal combustion engine.

Another objectof this invention is to provide a supplementary fuel feed device in which a diaphragm connected to a supplementary fuel metering valve is subjected to manifold pressure for control of the valve against the opposition of a composite spring assembly which has a variable spring rate.

A further object of this invention is to provide a supplementary fuel feed device wherein the unauthorized feeding of fuel to the engine by way of a vacuum chamber is eliminated by means of a passage vented to atmosphere and located between the vacuum chamber and the normal path of travel of the supplementary fuel to the intake manifold.

, A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel fuel metering valve having a shaped point for engagement with a limited orifice member at the entrance to the passage leading to the intake manifold Of the engine.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a supplementary fuel injector for the main fuel intake of an internal combustion engine which is conveniently supported on a'flange member inserted between the carburetor and the intake manifold of the engine and which supplies a jet of antidetonant admixed with air only when required by the engine.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detail description of the annexed sheet of drawings which illustrates two embodiments of the invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, similar to Figure 1, but showing a modified form of the supplementary fuel feed device of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings: In Figure 1 the reference numeral I6 designates generally a supplementary feed device constructed according to the teachings of this invention and mounted by means of an attached flange or mounting block II which is positioned between the outlet of a carburetor I2 and the fuel inlet or intake manifold I3 of an internal combustion engine. The block II carries a tube IIa with a nozzle III) at one end. As is customary, fuel feed from the carburetor is controlled by a throttle valve I4. A tubular member I5 is connected between the device I0 and the intake manifold I3.

The device I6 includes a main casing I 6, a cupshaped bottom closure plate I! and a top cover plate I8. The bottom closure plate I1 is held in sealed engagement with the casing I6 with a gasket I9 of resilient material held therebetween by means of a plurality of cap screws (not shown).

The bottom plate I! defines a float chamber 2| while the cover plate I8, in connection with a diaphragm 22, secured between the casing I6 and the cover plate I8 by any suitable means, defines an air chamber 24 vented to the atmosphere by an aperture 25 in the cover plate I8.

An annular float 21 is pivotally mounted in the float chamber 2| by means of a pin 28 on a depending flange 29 secured to the main casing I6. A tubular valve housing 30 is threaded into an opening 3| in the casing I6 and has an end portion 32 bottomed against a shoulder'33 of the opening 3| with a gasket 34 therebetween. The tubular housing 36 has a central opening 36 with a restricted orifice 38 at one end thereof. Passageways 46 and 4| in the gasket 34 and in the housing I6, respectively, are aligned with the restricted orifice 38 of the housing 36 affording communication between the chamber 36 and a tubular passage 43 connected to a source of antidetonant fuel.

A valve 45 is slidably disposed in the chamber 36 and has a conical seating surface 46 movable into the restricted orifice 38 and coacting with the edges thereof to control flow of fluid through the housing into the float chamber 2|. An arm 21a of the float 2'I acts on the lower end of the Valve 45 to move the conical seating surface 46 into the orifice 38 to stop the flow of fluid into the chamber 2| when the chamber is filled.

The casing I6 has an outer ring portion 50 and an upper central boss portion 5|. These two members coact to define a well 52. A lower boss portion 53 depending from the main casing I6 extends downwardly into the float chamber 2| and has a central bore or passage 54 in communication with a central passage 55 of substantially larger diameter in the upper boss 5|. The lower boss 53 terminates in an internally threaded portion 56 arranged to receive the threaded lower end of a tubular vent member 58 which is centrally disposed in the passage 54 and has a central bore 58a. A spacer ring 59 is disposed about the end of the tubular member 58 at the upper end thereof where the passage 54 merges with the larger passage 55 of the upper boss 5|. It will thus be seen that the lower end of the passage 55 forms a discharge chamber for fluid leaving the passage 54. A passage 62 is provided in the casing I6 establishing communication between the passage 55 and the tube Ila.

An annular shoulder extends downwardly from the spacer ring 59 between the tubular member 58 and the outer wall of the central passage 54 in the lower boss 53 providing an annular passage 6| which is in communication with that portion of the float chamber above the shutoff position of the float by means of a slanted passageway 63. This upper portion of the float chamber 2| is vented to atmosphere through an opening 64 in the casing I6.

To establish communication between the annular passage 6| and the central passage- Way 58a of the tubular member 58 there is provided a series of radially extending passages 66 in the tubular member 58. The passageway at the center of the tubular member 58 is also in communication with the liquid in the float chamber 2| through a restricted jet passageway 61 and an enlarged passageway 68 in the threaded end 57 of the tube.

Liquid in the float chamber 2| will, of course, pass upwardly through the passageways 68 and 61 into the central portion of the tubular passage 58 and stand at a height therein corresponding of fluid at predetermined high intake manifold vacuum.

The central portion of the diaphragm 22 is held betweenwasher members TI and E8 on a shoulder '19 by means of a peened-over end Bil .of the block 15. Thus, flexing movement of the diaphragm 22 will cause the cylindrical block '15 to slide up and down in the central passage 55 in the boss and move the pointed end portion 12 toward or away from the edgesof the restricted orifice 57, thus providing metering of the fuel.

The valve body '15 has a central passage 82 in its upper portion which communicates with a radial passage 83 which is in communication with an annular groove 84 on the outer periphery of the block 15. It will, of course, be recognized that should the peripheral surfaces of the valve block 15 or thesurfaces of the upstanding boss 5| become worn so that liquid could pass up between the boss 51 and the block 15, the suction pressure'in the chamber 52 caused by the'connection of the chamber 52 with the intake manifold of the engine through the tubular member I5 which enters the chamber 52 through port 85,

would cause liquid to be drawn up through these slight openings into the vacuum chamber 52. However, since the annular groove 84 is vented to atmosphere through the passage 82 and the vented chamber 211, the efiect of the vacuum between the surfaces of the body 15 and the boss 5| is broken at this point and therefore the past these surfaces.

A pair of concentric coil springs 90 and SI are disposed in the vacuum chamber 52 between the main body l6 and the lower washer member '18.

, It is to be particularly noted that the outer spring member 9| extends the entire distance between the washer 18 which carries the diaphragm 22 and the casing 16 while the inner and heavier spring 90 does not extend all the way between these surfaces.

Downward movement of the diaphragm 22 and the-associated cylindrical block 15 is effected by suction in the intake manifold. through the tube l5 which communicates the "chamber 52 with the intake manifold l3. The coil springs are so chosen that the outer spring 91 will resist initial movement of the diaphragmunder the action of the vacuum pressure as it moves the valve 12 toward an orifice restricting position. After a predetermined movement of the valve member '12, the inner spring 90 will be contacted by the downward movement of the diaphragm and will thereafter augment the resistance of the outer spring 9| to resist the further movement of the diaphragm toward valve closing position. These combined springs will be strong enough to overcome the pull on the diaphragm 22 when there is low vacuum in the intake manifold, but will permit the diaphragm to be progressively pulled down as the vacuum in the intake manifold increases until at high manifold vacuum the block 15 is fully seated on the edges of 50. When the throttle is opened at low speeds, a lowvacuum condition exists in the intake manifold and the spring 9| will adequately resist the pull of this load suction on the diaphragm to maintain-the diaphragm in the position illustrated in Figure 1 wherein the proper predetermined amount of supplementary fuel is being drawn into the intakemanifold. As the engine speeds up the suction in the intake manifold increases and the -vacuum will not be effective to draw liquid up diaphragm-is drawn down to progressively meter the fluid being drawn through the orifice 51. Finally, when the engine is at full speed the conical seating surface on valve '15 is fully closing the orifice 6B.

The size of the metering valve orifice is controlled by the degree of vacuum inthe vacuum chamber and by the setting of the composite springs and 3t. When the engine is stopped and no vacuum exists in the spring chamber, the springs as and 9! open the metering valve and fuelin the float chamber 2! fiowsiby gravity through the bores 68 and 51 to rise in the tube 58 to the same level as exists in the float chamber. When the engine is started, vacuum in the intake manifold l3 will draw a slug of supplementary fuel standing inthe tube 58 into the manifold through thenozzle I lb thereby sending an enriched slug of supplementary fuel to the intake immediately upon starting the engine.

As the engine is brought up to speed, the vacuum in the intake manifold is progressively. increased causing the diaphragm 22 to be pulled down against the action of the spring and progressively reduce the orifice area produced by 12 and $1 until valve 75 seats on 6d. At full speed of the engine or under high vacuum conditions,

regardless of speed, when the engine does not require anti-detonant the conical metering surface of 75 will be completely closing the orifice 60.

In Figure 3 is shown a modified form of the supplementary fuel speed metering valve. In this modification the elongated needle valve head 12 of Figure 1 is replaced by a shaped portion 95 which depends from a cylindrical block 75' and is integrally formed thereon. This portion of the block is arranged to cooperate with the peripheral edges of thebore 59a of the spacer ring 59'. Asthe block moves downwardly under the urging of the vacuum controlled diaphragm 22, the seating surface 55 will be moved toward closing position on this valve seat. The depending end of block 15' coacts with the small bore of 59' thus providing metering of the fuel.

It will, of course, be understood that all of the other mechanisms of the fuel feed device shown in Figure 3 are exactly the same in construction and operation as similar parts in Figure 1. The restricted orifice 61 in the vent tube 58 is used for metering in the full open position of valve 15 in both cases.

From the foregoing description it is seen that there is provided in this invention a novel supplementary fuel feed device featuring a novel shaped metering valve which is controlled by a vacuum actuated diaphragm which is movable against the resistance of a composite spring assembly which has variable load characteristics. The spring so resists the movement of the diaphragm that the metering valve will initially close at a fast rate and then at a slower rate. There is also featured in this novel speed device a means for preventing liquid from being drawn into the normal path of flow of supplementary fuel to the engine intake.

The supplementary feed device of this invention is extremely simple in construction and very eflicient in operation and lends itself readily to mass production.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a fuel feed device, a housing having a well extending inwardly from the outer surface thereof, an internal fuel flow passageway and an opening between said well and said fuel flow passageway; a diaphragm extending across said well with the outer surface thereof subjected to atmospheric pressure and with the inner surface thereof together with said well defining a vacuum chamber; a valve member having one end slidably disposed in said opening with the other end thereof extending through and attached to said diaphragm; and means on said valve member controlling fuel flow through said passageway; said valve member having an external groove therein extending all the way around the periphery of and disposed in the portion thereof which is disposed in said opening; and said member also having an internal passageway communicating with said groove and extending to said other end of said member to vent said groove to the atmosphere irrespective of the position of said valve member to thereby prevent flow of fuel from said fuel passageway into said vacuum cha-mber.

2. A vacuum-actuated fluid feed device comprising, a housing enclosing an interior fluid chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure and having an outlet passage for fluid flowing from said chamber, a differential fluid pressure sensitive diaphragm defining a vacuum chamber and an atmospheric chamber on opposing sides thereof, valve guiding means defining a valve passage from said vacuum chamber intersecting said outlet passage and subject to the vacuum in said vacuum chamber, a valve seat at the intersection of said valve passage and said outlet passage, a valve member slidable in said valve passage and having one end extending through and attached to said diaphragm, and means on said member arranged for coaction with said valve seat for controlling fluid flow through said outlet passage, said valve member having an external groove therein extending all the way around the periphery thereof and disposed in the portion thereof which is disposed in said valve passage, and said member also having an internal passageway communicating with said groove and extending to said one end of said member to vent said groove to the atmosphere irrespective of the position of said valve member to thereby prevent flow of fluid from said outlet passage into said vacuum chamber.

DAVID E. ANDERSON. RICHARD A. KOLONICK.

WILLARD RAYMOR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 955,222 Stoker Apr. 19, 1910 1,576,109 Forman et a1. Mar. 9, 1926 1,781,356 West Nov. 11, 1930 1,946,284 Huber Feb. 6, 1934 2,133,207 Mennesson Oct. 11, 1938 2,441,301 Waag et a1 May 11, 1948 2,513,773 Anderson July 4, 1950 2,513,774 Anderson July 4, 1950 

